This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.<\/p>\n
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org. I\u2019m Amy Goodman, with Juan Gonz\u00e1lez.<\/p>\n
We turn now to \u201cThe Boss\u201d \u2014\u00a0that\u2019s right, Bruce Springsteen. On Monday night, he made a surprise appearance at Democracy Now!\u2019s 30th anniversary celebration at the historic Riverside Church to sing his new song, \u201cThe Streets of Minneapolis.\u201d<\/p>\n
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: Hello! Happy anniversary, Democracy Now! Happy anniversary, Amy! It\u2019s so wonderful to be here. And happy birthday, Patti! You\u2019re welcome.<\/p>\n
Past winter, the federal troops brought death and terror to the streets of Minneapolis. They picked the wrong city, because the power and the solidarity of the people of Minneapolis was an inspiration to the entire country. Their strength and their commitment told us that this is still America, and the reactionary nightmare and the invasion of an American city will not stand. Their strength gave us hope. They gave us courage. And for those who gave their lives \u2014\u00a0Renee Good, mother of three, brutally murdered, Alex Pretti, VA nurse, executed, shot in the back by ICE in the street and left to die \u2014\u00a0their bravery, their sacrifice and their names will not be forgotten.<\/p>\n
This is \u201cStreets of Minneapolis.\u201d<\/p>\n
[singing] Through the winter\u2019s ice and cold
Down Nicollet Avenue
A city aflame fought fire and ice
‘Neath an occupier’s boots
King Trump\u2019s private army from the DHS
Guns belted to their coats
Came to Minneapolis to enforce the law
Or so their story goes<\/p>\n
Against smoke and rubber bullets
By the dawn\u2019s early light
Citizens stood for justice
Their voices ringin\u2019 through the night
And there were bloody footprints
Where mercy should have stood
Two dead, left to die on snow-filled streets
Alex Pretti and Renee Good<\/p>\n
Oh, our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Singing through the bloody mist
We\u2019ll take our stand for this land
And the stranger in our midst
Here in our home, they killed and roamed
In the winter of ’26
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s federal thugs beat up on
His face and his chest
Then we heard the gunshots
And Alex Pretti lay in the snow dead
Their claim was self-defense, sir
Just don\u2019t believe your eyes
It\u2019s our blood and bones
And these whistles and phones
Against Miller and Noem\u2019s dirty lies<\/p>\n
Oh, Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Crying through the bloody mist
We\u2019ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis<\/p>\n
Now they say they\u2019re here to uphold the law
But they trample on our rights
If your skin is black or brown, my friend
You\u2019ll be questioned or deported on sight
And in our chants of \u201dICE out now\u201d
Our city\u2019s heart and soul persists
Through broken glass and bloody tears
On the streets of Minneapolis<\/p>\n
Oh, Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Singing through the bloody mist
Here in our home, they killed and roamed
In the winter of ’26
We’ll take our stand for this land
And the stranger in our midst
We\u2019ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis
We\u2019ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis<\/p>\n
AMY GOODMAN: Bruce. Bruce. Bruce. Bruce, you\u2019re taking this on the road across the country, beginning in Minneapolis. Tell us about the tour.<\/p>\n
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: Not much to tell. Starting in Minneapolis, then going on to Portland and Los Angeles, of course, to other cities where they had to deal with ICE, ICE\u2019s terror. And then we\u2019re going to end up in Washington, D.C., and with a few words to say in front of the White House.<\/p>\n
AMY GOODMAN: And you\u2019re saying where ICE is present. Does that mean you\u2019re taking it to airports now?<\/p>\n
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: I\u2019ve been in plenty of them. Probably so, you know.<\/p>\n
AMY GOODMAN: One other question. I mean, \u201c41 Bullets,\u201d \u201cThe Streets of Minneapolis.\u201d Now you just made news again this morning, the ACLU launching a national ad campaign featuring your \u201cBorn in the U.S.A.,\u201d highlighting the landmark birthright citizenship Supreme Court case that they\u2019re going to be arguing on April 1st.<\/p>\n
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: Right, right, right. Well, it\u2019s our pleasure to be working with the ACLU, and they finally put \u201cBorn in the U.S.A.\u201d to some good and righteous use, so I\u2019m glad about that.<\/p>\n